<p>In a move that is sure to win accolades from liberal colleagues throughout academia (which means nearly everybody in elite academia), the U Minnesota is recommending that aspiring teachers must repudiate the notion of "the American Dream" in order to obtain the recommendation for licensure required by the Minnesota Board of Teaching. Instead, teacher candidates must embrace -- and be prepared to teach our state's kids -- the task force's own vision of America as an oppressive hellhole: racist, sexist and homophobic.</p>
<p>I think that your connection to PA scores is rather tenuous and not very credible.</p>
<p>This is exactly why “education” is a field of study that should cease to exist. Subjects should be taught by people who understand that subject.</p>
<p>U Minnesota is far from alone here. For at least 20 years now, ed colleges have had some of their faculty spewing this stuff. </p>
<p>I once had a tenured professor of education scream at me (at a party, no less) that she “could NOT CARE LESS ABOUT THE INTERESTS OF THE MIDDLE CLASS!” when she overheard me discussing the formation of a parents group at the local public schools who didn’t like the fact that all honors classes had been disbanded.</p>
<p>I didn’t even know this person. I must say, it was a major eye opener.</p>
<p>EDIT: actually, she used a vulgarity in place of ‘could not care less’ but in the interests of avoiding the asterisks, I have translated it.</p>
<p>^^^Oh, look, its my fan club! Who said anything about Vanderbilt? It is highly ranked for its GRADUATE program; it doesn’t even offer a standard undergraduate education degree*. The reason for that is because the faculty and administrators at Peabody think undergraduate teaching degrees, as they presently exist, are not very good.</p>
<p>Furthermore, I’ll let you in on a secret. Many of the faculty members at Peabody do not have degrees in education. There are psychologists, statisticians and economists, for instance.</p>
<p>I don’t actually know the details, but the program requires some sort of dual major, especially for certification for post-elementary. That is true in a lot of places, now.</p>
<p>Of course, the reason for your post was to denigrate Vanderbilt, not the field of education.</p>
<p>ghostbuster, I’ve met a lot of people from Beijing and other parts of China, and I’ve liked just about every one of them. I hope this one stays put.</p>
<p>^^^Really? One of my husband’s former students is a graduate student at Vanderbilt. He is from Beijing. His father is very well known in Beijing, so I’m guessing that a couple of people in China do indeed know about Vanderbilt.</p>
<p>Give it up, please. You are not really accomplishing anything with your endless sarcastic posts.</p>
<p>Agreed. I have a friend in Seoul, South Korea…been friends for decades…its not a racial slur. Don’t misunderstand me. </p>
<p>Though I note that with China’s rising role in global economics and as more and more Chinese desire to get an education in the Western World, with the USA as their first choice, followed by Canada, Australia and Great Britain…we are finding (saw an article in either NYT or WSJ within the past year I believe) many of them are becoming more belligerent and domineering…as if to suggest they are superior. Some say its because for centuries the Chinese in particular were subjugated by other nations and races and now having reached the pinnacle of power they are misbehaving somewhat…I have noticed a sort of arrogance among many Chinese nationals studying in the United States…a rudeness that is most unfortunate. Not humble and gracious GUESTS in our nation. They act as if they are ENTITLED to an education here…and all of them are paid for by the Chinese Government. </p>
<p>If you know anything about the Chinese military and intelligence services, they also send over a considerable amount of “persons of interest” in the overseas student population. But that is another matter altogether. And I am not suggesting all of them are in that category. But they DO exist. Just ask your friendly neighborhood FBI agent. </p>
<p>We Americans are not immune from poor manners overseas. For decades upon decades, American students have travelled overseas to study and acted out the perfect role of “Ugly American”. (Although some go the other direction and “go native” in a weird act of self denial.) I am only saying its being noticed that many Chinese are coming here to study and some of them are less than grateful guests. Some of them opine about the quality of American institutions of higher learning as if they are experts on the subject matter or even have a voice in the discussion. I find that supremely arrogant and rude, given their taxes are not paying for their education here, its OUR taxes that are underwriting it…at least indirectly. </p>
<p>Foreign student exchanges provide a valuable opportunity for students, but also provide a valuable governmental objective…for through the exchange of ideas and values, we learn more about each other, remove hysteria and misperceptions and hopefullly avoid conflicts. In theory.</p>
<p>But 40 years after we started allowing Arabs here to study, many people have expressed doubts about its ultimate success. Particularly women who married them and saw their “husbands” steal their children and take them back to Saudi Arabia, never to be seen again. Arabs NEVER send women over here to study. Verboten. </p>
<p>I support diversity and exchanges. I am just saying we need to be mindful of our manners and respectful of customs when we are guests and that we Americans should not be too willing to give away the crown jewels.</p>
<p>interestingguy, I could care less what the Chinese know about Fordham, if you really want to know. But Fordham has an MBA Program in Beijing as a matter of fact, a one of a kind operation approved by the Chinese Government. So again, your obnoxious commentary notwithstanding, you are dead pan WRONG!</p>
<p>Don’t you have something better to do than come on CC and bash American schools?</p>
<p>hawkette, during the past election, Obama’s connection with Bill Ayers was criticized because of Ayers’s history as a domestic terrorist. While that is certainly a valid criticism of Ayers, my biggest problem with him is the stuff he spews about education. He makes no bones about using public schools as tools to implement his vision of a “just society”.</p>
<p>I don’t believe Obama actually buys into the Ayers world view, but I thought it was sort of amazing that it was never brought up.</p>
<p>Higher education should not become Higher Indoctrination, but often that is precisely what occurs. Worse, there are professors who use grades as weapons if they don’t agree with a student’s point of view. In my purview that should be a firing offense. </p>
<p>The best professors are intellectually honest about their own viewpoints, but who respect the views of their students, harbor no ill will towards them if they are opposed to their viewpoint and who grade students for scholarship quality, not political agendas. Unfortunately Higher Education in the United States has been largely taken over by liberals, many of whom are extremists with not so hidden agendas. </p>
<p>If my kids attend any school where this sort of indoctrination occurs, I will yank them and demand a refund. (And I would do the same if they saw professors or schools with right wing agendas that are offensive and fail to support mutual respect and openness.) </p>
<p>What is also disturbing is that our tax dollars are being used (both state and federal taxes) to fund this sort of nonsense. </p>
<p>A college President sets the tone and the policy, with the approval of the Board of Governors/Regents/Trustees. They should clearly state that while professors and even departments are entitled to their constitutional right to freedom of expression and freedom of association, that any person who intentionally teaches an agenda and disrespects opposing viewpoints or grades with an agenda (either promoting higher grades or grade deflation) shall be fired…even those with tenure…for cause.</p>
<p>Let me qualify my statement that “the Chinese do not know about Vanderbilt” to say: the Chinese know enough about Vanderbilt to give its rightful ranking.</p>
<p>Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU): Vanderbilt = #41</p>